Method for improving load of atomized tobacco shreds

Abstract

The invention provides a method for improving load of atomized tobacco shreds, which comprises the following steps: performing low-temperature plasma pretreatment on tobacco shreds to be treated to obtain pretreated tobacco shreds; spraying an atomizing agent on the surface of the pretreated tobacco shreds, and standing to obtain the treated tobacco shreds. The low-temperature plasma is adopted to pretreat the tobacco shreds, so that cell walls of the tobacco shreds are broken, the surfaces are loose and porous, the adsorption capacity of the tobacco shreds is improved, and the atomizing agent loading capacity of the tobacco shreds is improved. Experimental results show that the surface of the treated tobacco shreds is loose and porous, the porosity reaches 30-60%, the loading capacity of the atomizing agent reaches up to 35 wt%, and the processability is good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of tobacco shred processing, and in particular relates to a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds. Background Art

[0002] The raw materials for heated cigarettes are mainly reconstituted tobacco leaf slices, which are widely used due to their strong plasticity, high atomizer loading capacity and ability to maintain the effective ingredients of tobacco leaves. The production process of reconstituted tobacco leaves is relatively complicated, and auxiliary materials such as adhesives are required to maintain the processing performance of the slices. The adhesive will also be heated during the heating and smoking process, which has a potential impact on the sensory quality and smoking experience. Therefore, the process of directly preparing heated cigarettes by loading atomizers on flue-cured tobacco leaves has become a hot topic of research. The production process of flue-cured tobacco leaves is relatively mature, and the products have the advantages of glossy luster, rich and delicate aroma, harmony, and low impurities.

[0003] At present, when preparing atomized tobacco, the atomizer is directly mixed with dry tobacco and left to stand, allowing the tobacco to adsorb freely. However, the adsorption capacity of the pores on the surface of the tobacco is limited and the loading capacity is low. In addition, the viscosity of the atomizer is relatively large. When the amount added is too large, the atomizer that is not adsorbed by the tobacco will remain on the surface of the tobacco, affecting the processing performance of the tobacco. Therefore, the current atomized tobacco preparation technology still has problems such as low atomizer loading capacity and small amount of smoke when inhaled. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds, which method can increase the atomizer load of the tobacco shreds without causing sticking.

[0005] The present invention provides a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps:

[0006] The tobacco to be treated is subjected to low-temperature plasma pretreatment to obtain pretreated tobacco;

[0007] The atomizer is sprayed on the surface of the pretreated tobacco shreds and allowed to stand to obtain treated tobacco shreds.

[0008] Preferably, the power of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is 200-3000W, and the time is 1-5 minutes.

[0009] Preferably, the temperature of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is lower than the temperature of carbonization of the tobacco cuts.

[0010] Preferably, the porosity of the pretreated tobacco is 30-60%.

[0011] Preferably, the atomizer accounts for 15-35% of the weight of the tobacco raw material.

[0012] Preferably, the atomizer is selected from one or more of 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, glycerol and ethylene glycol.

[0013] Preferably, the standing time is 2 to 24 hours.

[0014] Preferably, the atomizer is sprayed on the surface of the pretreated shredded tobacco while stirring.

[0015] Preferably, the shredded tobacco to be processed is loose shredded tobacco that has been well moisturized or shredded tobacco cut from tobacco leaves.

[0016] The present invention provides a method for improving the load of atomized tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps: pre-treating the tobacco shreds to be treated with low-temperature plasma to obtain pre-treated tobacco shreds; spraying an atomizer on the surface of the pre-treated tobacco shreds, standing the pre-treated tobacco shreds, and obtaining treated tobacco shreds. The present invention uses low-temperature plasma to pre-treat the tobacco shreds, so that the cell walls thereof are broken, and the surface presents a loose and porous morphology, thereby improving the adsorption capacity of the tobacco shreds, and further improving the ability of the tobacco shreds to load the atomizer. The experimental results show that the surface of the treated tobacco shreds is loose and porous, the porosity reaches 30-60%, the atomizer loading amount is as high as 35wt%, and the processing performance is good. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a scanning electron microscope image of the tobacco shreds to be processed in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a scanning electron microscope image of the tobacco shreds after low-temperature plasma pretreatment in Example 1 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present invention provides a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps:

[0020] The tobacco to be treated is subjected to low-temperature plasma pretreatment to obtain pretreated tobacco;

[0021] The atomizer is sprayed on the surface of the pretreated tobacco shreds and allowed to stand to obtain treated tobacco shreds.

[0022] The present invention adopts low-temperature plasma to pretreat the tobacco shreds, so that the cell walls thereof are broken, the surface presents a loose and porous morphology, the adsorption capacity of the tobacco shreds is improved, and then the ability of the tobacco shreds to load the atomizer is improved.

[0023] In the present invention, the shredded tobacco to be processed is loose shredded tobacco with good moisture recovery or shredded tobacco cut from tobacco leaves. The present invention uses a shredder well known to those skilled in the art to cut the shredded tobacco.

[0024] The present invention places the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, and adjusts the treatment time and power; the power of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is 200-3000W, and the time is 1-5min. In a specific embodiment, the power of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is 200W, 500W, 1000W, 2000W or 3000W; the time is 1min or 3min. After the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is completed, the tobacco is transferred out. The temperature of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is lower than the carbonization temperature of the tobacco. After the low-temperature plasma pretreatment, the porosity of the pretreated tobacco is 30-60%.

[0025] After obtaining the pretreated shredded tobacco, the present invention sprays an atomizer on the surface of the pretreated shredded tobacco and allows the shredded tobacco to stand to obtain the treated shredded tobacco.

[0026] The atomizer in the present invention is selected from one or more of 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, glycerol and ethylene glycol. The atomizer is stirred while spraying on the surface of the pretreated tobacco. The atomizer accounts for 15-35% of the weight of the tobacco raw material. The loading amount of the atomizer cannot exceed 35%, otherwise it will cause stickiness and difficult processing. In a specific embodiment, the loading amount of the atomizer is 15%, 20%, 25% or 30%.

[0027] After spraying, seal and store for a period of 50 to 70 minutes.

[0028] In order to further illustrate the present invention, a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco provided by the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with embodiments, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: placing the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treating it for 1 min and at a power of 200 W, and transferring the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0031] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 15% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0032] Example 2

[0033] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: put the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treat it for 3 minutes and at a power of 500W, and transfer the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0034] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying, the mass of the atomizer accounts for 20wt% of the mass of the tobacco raw material, and after spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0035] Example 3

[0036] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: put the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treat it for 3 minutes and at a power of 1000W, and transfer the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0037] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 25% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0038] Example 4

[0039] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: put the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treat it for 3 minutes and at a power of 2000W, and transfer the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0040] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 30% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0041] Example 5

[0042] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: put the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treat it for 3 minutes and at a power of 3000W, and transfer the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0043] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 35% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0044] Comparative Example 1

[0045] 1) Pre-treatment of loose and moistened tobacco with low-temperature plasma: placing the tobacco raw material into a plasma reactor, treating it for 5 minutes at a power of 3000 W, and transferring the tobacco out after the pre-treatment is completed;

[0046] 2) Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 40% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 1 hour to obtain treated tobacco.

[0047] Comparative Example 2

[0048] Use the loose and moistened tobacco directly;

[0049] Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 15% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 6 hours to obtain treated tobacco.

[0050] Comparative Example 3

[0051] Use the loose and moistened tobacco directly;

[0052] Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 20% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 12 hours to obtain treated tobacco.

[0053] Comparative Example 4

[0054] Use the loose and moistened tobacco directly;

[0055] Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 25% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store it for 24 hours to obtain the treated tobacco.

[0056] Table 1 Surface morphology, atomizer loading and processing performance of samples pretreated with low-temperature plasma and untreated in Examples and Comparative Examples

[0057] sample Surface morphology Atomizer loading wt% Processing performance Example 1 Loose and porous 15 good Example 2 Loose and porous 20 good Example 3 Loose and porous 25 good Example 4 Loose and porous 30 good Example 5 Loose and porous 35 good Comparative Example 1 Loose and porous 40 Slightly sticky, difficult to process Comparative Example 2 smooth 15 good Comparative Example 3 smooth 20 Sticky, difficult to process Comparative Example 4 smooth 25 Sticky, can't be processed

[0058] Comparative Example 5

[0059] The tobacco shreds are mixed with a calcium chloride solution and allowed to stand for 18 hours to obtain a mixture, wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco leaves to the calcium chloride in the calcium chloride solution is 1:2; the mixture is dried and then subjected to a high-temperature treatment at 350°C for 3 hours, and after washing, loose and porous tobacco shreds are obtained with a porosity of 80%.

[0060] Spray glycerol evenly on the surface of the pretreated tobacco, stirring while spraying to ensure uniform spraying. The mass of the atomizer accounts for 15% of the mass of the tobacco raw material. After spraying, seal and store for 24 hours to obtain the treated tobacco. The elemental analysis results show that the carbon content of the tobacco treated by this method reaches 85%, indicating that the tobacco is partially carbonized, the aroma substances are lost, and the adsorption effect with glycerol is reduced.

[0061] It can be seen from the above embodiments that the present invention provides a method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps: subjecting the to-be-treated tobacco shreds to low-temperature plasma pretreatment to obtain pretreated tobacco shreds; spraying an atomizer on the surface of the pretreated tobacco shreds, allowing the atomizer to stand, and obtaining treated tobacco shreds. The present invention uses low-temperature plasma to pretreat tobacco shreds, so that the cell walls thereof are broken, and the surface presents a loose and porous morphology, thereby increasing the adsorption capacity of tobacco shreds, and further increasing the ability of tobacco shreds to load an atomizer. The experimental results show that the surface of the treated tobacco shreds is loose and porous, the porosity reaches 30-60%, the atomizer loading is as high as 35wt%, and the processing performance is good.

[0062] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the load of atomized tobacco shreds, comprising the following steps: The tobacco to be treated is subjected to low-temperature plasma pretreatment to obtain pretreated tobacco; The atomizer is sprayed on the surface of the pretreated tobacco shreds and allowed to stand to obtain treated tobacco shreds.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The power of the low-temperature plasma pretreatment is 200-3000W, and the time is 1-5 minutes.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The temperature of low-temperature plasma pretreatment is lower than the temperature of tobacco carbonization.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The porosity of the pretreated tobacco is 30-60%.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The atomizer accounts for 15-35% of the weight of the tobacco raw material.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The atomizer is selected from one or more of 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, glycerol and ethylene glycol.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The standing time is 2 to 24 hours.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The atomizer is sprayed on the surface of the pretreated tobacco while stirring.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shredded tobacco to be processed is loose shredded tobacco that has been well moisturized or shredded tobacco cut from tobacco leaves.

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